 Hurry, horse, with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty hyosilver, the lone ranger. During the years of unrest that followed the Civil War, a powerful secret organization called the Legion of the Black Arrows sprang up in the western United States. Its members were to be found everywhere, defying the law or using the law for their own purposes, working toward the ultimate goal of revolt and the foundation of a despotic empire. It was the masked rider of the planes who led the fight against this band of outlaws and traitors, and for once his great strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness were taxed to the utmost in the cause of democracy. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of a great horse, Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! Run the trail, the Black Arrow! Help, Silver! In their constant quest to track down the Black Arrow outlaws, the lone ranger and tanto were galloping across the desolate western plains when suddenly a riderless horse galloped toward them. It was an army horse, and in one saddlebag the masked man found a note. Just one word's called on the paper, Tunno. The word help. Ah, and what it mean? It was written in desperate haste, scribbled by a man in a great hurry. Him, army man? The horse we found was an army horse. He wore an army brand, had army saddle blankets. His rider must be an army man or was. You think him dead? I don't know, Tunno. We won't know that till we reach the end of the trail. Ah, hoof marks plain and crowned for us to see. How long we ride? Until we can find no more tracks. Until we find the man who wrote this note. Get him up scoundrel! My horse, you see any sign in my horse, Maria? Do you see him? I sent him off with that note. Robert, please. You must not worry. Maybe he headed back for the fort. I hope he headed back. If he didn't, I'll never forgive myself. Oh, my shoulder. Robert, please. You are hurt, injured. Don't try to get out. Can you see him? No. Robert, lie quiet. I will watch. For your soldier company, I will watch. I will see them coming across the plains. Many horses and soldiers riding. And above them the little pen and snapping in the wind and your flag. The flag of the United States at their head. Don't worry. They will come for you. They will. Maria. They will come for you. Maria, what's the matter? All of a sudden, your voice, it changed like... Maria, is it the company? Robert, could it be that your captain would send two men for you? Two men? Two riders coming this way from far off. Let me look. I... Oh, I can't see. My shoulder hurts me bad. Everything gets blurred when I try to look. Are they... are they wearing army uniform? They come closer now. Uniform? One of them is Indian. Indian, huh? Maybe a guide. What about the other? He might be a soldier. He rides a great white horse. A big horse. His clothes are tan and white. His hat, even his boots. White. He ain't a soldier. His hat comes low over his face. There's a shadow across his eyes. You better... better take my carbine and make sure there's cartridges in it, Maria. Out here you... you never know. That hombre might be an outlaw. He rides like a caballero. I can hear him now. Can't see him. Tiny! Oh, Silver, whoa. Hello. Into the trail, huh? Who... who are you? We found a horse, an army horse. The tracks led us here. Roberto... Roberto, this one who bears mask. Mask? Maria, outlaw, that's what outlaw. Where's my rifle? My carbine? I'll... Catch him, him home. Daddy. Put him down. Put him down, you outlaw. He's been wounded. What you want with him? We want to help him. Otto, it's his shoulder. First thing we've got to do is care for his wound. Wake up soon, now. And wake up. He'll heal better. Senor... Senor Mask one. Please, you forgive Maria. You and your Indian compadre have helped my Roberto. For the first time in days he has no fever. For the first time in days... Hush, hush. Quiet now. He's waking up. Maria. Roberto, I'm here. Maria? I feel better. My shoulder's not sore anymore. These two, I've made you well again. What two? I don't... Oh, oh, them. Still here, huh? You fainted, soldier. Otto was able to dress your wound. Thanks. Thanks, engine. You're wearing a mask, mister. Him... him all time wearing a mask. We found your horse on the note near Saddle Bay. You did, huh? I reckon he didn't head for the fort this morning. My name's Vance, Robert Vance. I'm right obliged. I guess Maria's too. Vance, before your fever went down, you did a lot of talking. Yeah? Yes. How did I know you were carrying dispatches? We know you turned us out a few miles to see Maria. You were ambushed. There is so. When I get here, Robert is already hurt. Your dispatches were gone. Mister, I don't know who you are, and it don't matter... It matters that they save you, Robert. Without them, you... you might have died. That's the way I figure it, too, Maria. So I'll consider you friendly, mister, in spite of that mask. And good. We help, huh? Mask man, I reckon I didn't exactly do my duty as a soldier. Turned aside when I was carrying valuable dispatches. But I didn't figure it would do any harm saying howdy to Maria. Well, that's over and done with, Vance. No man can be blamed for an honest mistake. It was a mistake, all right. I didn't have a chance. They sprang at me from both sides. They shot me and took the dispatches. What were those dispatches, Vance? I don't know. You don't? No, mister. I didn't know what was in them. The only thing I knew was they were important. Mighty important. Now they're gone. Robert. Who were the robbers, Vance? Did you see them? I caught a glimpse of one of them, but it was over too fast. I don't know anything about them, except for that arrow they shot into my shoulder. What that? Arrow? We found no arrow. I'll take it out before you come, senor. I break it off and take it from Robert's shoulder. Here, this arrow. Kimusami. Tonto. It's black. A black arrow. A black arrow. The lone ranger and Tonto knew what that meant. The men who had stolen the army dispatches were members of the legion of the black arrow. The stronghold of the black arrow was a hidden valley high up in the remote fastness of the Sierra Mountains. At one end of the valley, two men waited. Torlock said we had to make a fast start. What's holding them up? Must be important. At least most likely talking to the leader. Torlock's a big man in the black arrow. Hey, Chiron. Yeah? You got any idea who our leader is? Not me. You ain't, huh? No, sir Ray. And I don't go around asking. The way I figure even Torlock don't know who it is. Maybe Torlock's the leader himself. Yeah, that ain't healthy to get secure, you shane. This here's a big outfit. Plenty big. You and me, we're just small potatoes, savvy. We do what we're told and we keep our mouths tight shut. Yeah, I can. Yeah. Howdy Torlock. Ready to ride? Yeah. Black arrow has worked for you. Got something to do with them army dispatches. We lifted off that messenger. You're not supposed to ask questions. Well, we wanted to. In this case, I'll let it pass. I meant to tell you anyway. This dispatch states the new captain will take over the garrison at Buzzard Gap. States his name and his description. Read it, Chiron. Huh? Go on, read it. Advice to Captain Lacey, Buzzard Gap Garrison. The bearer of this dispatch is Captain Shirlon, who will relieve you at once. Captain Shirlon, well that's me. Yeah. But I'm no army captain. You will be. I have a uniform my saddlebags for you. I don't get this. Simple. Original of the dispatch was different. This one's a forgery. Forgery? Yeah, done right here by an expert. You'll have no trouble. But we can. You're an ex-army, man. Yeah, yeah, I am. All right. You replace Captain Lacey and then follow my orders. What orders? I'll give them to you as we travel. You and Shane put on these blindfolds. Yeah. Yes. The entrance to the valley of the black arrow was known only to a chosen few. You're members of the black arrow, but you don't know the secret entrance. Yes, sir. That's so for captured, we can't give it away. I'll lead your horses by the reins. In three days, you'll take over the buzzard gap garrison as Captain Sherlock. Get up here. Come on. Get up here. As you were. Corporal. Yes, Captain? Where's Captain Lacey? The Captain's in. Oh, here he comes now, sir. Captain Lacey, my name's Sherlock. Glad to meet you, Captain. What brings you to buzzard gap? And to take over your post. Orders from Fort Laramie. Well, I sent a dispatch rider, a private named Vance to Fort Laramie, for regular orders. Private Vance was detailed with a fort for the time being. Here's the dispatch. According to this, I'm to turn over the garrison to you, Sherlock, and ride post-haste to Fort Laramie. These orders say immediately. So I understood. Very well. You'll find everything in order here. I can leave in an hour. Billings. Yes, sir. Have the bugler sound assembly. The garrison has a new commandant. Mask man. There it is. There's the buzzard gap garrison, my company. We'll have to report back for duty, Vance. Can we stop him in it? It's early yet. No reason why not. Steady, Sherlock. Don't tell him a word. I don't know what's going to happen to me when I get there. No, please. Don't go. You will be caught, Marshal. You may face a firing squad. I won't let you. Maria. No. No, you mustn't. Come away with me. Let them think you died on the way. No one will ever find you. Maria. I won't listen. Maria. Don't say mask one. You're going to say Roberto must go back. It's his duty. I won't listen. You will listen. You must. He's a soldier. He's sworn to serve his country and his flag. If he doesn't go back now, no matter what the consequences, then he'll be ashamed of himself all the rest of his life. Oh, no. He'll hate himself. He'll begin to hate you too because you made him desert. He's got to go back. The mask man's right, Maria. There's no two ways about it. I'm sorry, Roberto. Mister, what you say is the truth. Roberto must go back whatever happened. Do you think it will be allowed for me to ride to the garrison with him? Yes, Maria. I think it'll be allowed. Tottenham and I will wait for you here. It's best for us to stay away from the fort. See, senora, I will come back. Maria, let's get going before I change my mind. Adios, mask man. You and the engine have been a... Come on, Maria. Get up. I will come back, mask man. You think maybe him get by on squadron? No, they can't do that, Totto. They might put him in the guardhouse for a week or so, but they'll never have him shot. Never. Come in. Yes, Billings. Begging the captain's pardon. Private Vance is outside, sir. Vance? He's the one Captain Lacey sent to Fort Larra. May I message your services? Oh, yeah. Yes, bring him in. The captain will see you, Vance. Captain Lacey, sir, I... What? What are you staring at? And who's this woman? You're a new captain, sir. I thought... Who is this woman? The captain, she came along with me. I was ambushed carrying dispatches from Fort Larra, and I was wounded. That's enough, Vance. The woman will leave the post. Yes. Yes, senora, I will go, but what Private Vance has done is not so terrible. Private Vance will be placed in the guardhouse. Tomorrow morning, he will learn what happens to a soldier who fails on his duty. Tomorrow morning? What do you mean? There's only one way to treat disobedience. Corporal Billings, get volunteers for a firing squad. Private Vance will be shot at dawn tomorrow. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. Vance was placed in the guardhouse to await the firing squad under orders from the false army captain. A short time later, Maria galloped away from the army post to the spot with the Lone Ranger and Taunta waited and told him what had happened. I speak to this captain. I beg him not to shoot Roberto. Even his soldiers, they do not want to shoot their comrade, but he's the captain. They must obey him. Robert say the old captain is good, kind man, but this new one... A new captain? What's his name? His name is Cherlon. The men do not like him. Cherlon? Cherlon? That's odd, especially since I... What do you think about Kimusabi? Well, nothing. Only when we were near Fort Laramie a month ago, we heard that Lacey was due to stay at Buzzard Gap for at least six months. That's all? Me remember. But maybe the army changed mine. It might be. But that an army captain would sentence one of his men this way, I... Maria. Sort of a man, is he? I did not understand. Well, can you describe him? How tall is he? What does he look like? He does not look nice, but nothing so different. He's like Tonto, so tall as he... How does he talk? Like an army man? Well, he does not talk like you, senior. More rough. That mean nothing. Army captains sometime come up from plain soldiers. He is more like soldiers than captain. The way he talk, the way he have tattoo marks... Oh wait, what that? A tattoo mark? Where? What sort of tattoo? It is when I beg of him for Robert's life on the left wrist. Kimusabi. I do not notice just what it is. Maria, was it an arrow? A black arrow? See, that is it. A black arrow. See, senior. And there is something wrong with the army post. Tonto, as soon as it gets dark we're going inside the stockade. We're going to rescue Vance. We're inside the stockade, Tonto. Look, there's a sentry in front of the guard house. Ah, guard house locked. One shot will break the lock, Tonto. We'll have to make it through the gate. Gate closed by night. What we do? Can you reach the gate, Tonto? Tonto thinks so. Then go ahead. When you hear a shot, swing the gate open and call Silver and Scout. They'll come to you. Ah. That shot will mean I've opened the guard house door. Vance and I will run for the gate as fast as we can. The horses are there. We can make good of our escape. It's not the... Tonto, go now. You fire shot. Tonto, open gate. And the horses came to stop me. Now, time to get to that door. Every second counted. It was after taps. Most of the company were asleep. But in front of the guard house paced the armed sentry, a rifle on his shoulder. As he moved closer, the masked man checked the sentry's pacing. He slid his gun out of the holster and waited until the sentry was at the far end of the porch. Then... Now! Puttin' places. Vance, there's no time for words. Follow me. Masked man. Follow me to the main gate. I'm right behind you. Come, bro. Top of the car. Here's Silver and his count. The gate's open. Master Tonto's got the horses. The gate! They're headed for the gate. Follow. Follow here. There's no time of week. What's this? Come on, sir. Into the saddle, Vance. I'll ride behind you. Silver can carry double. Give him up. Come on, sir. You've done what you say. You've rushed to Roberto. Him and the engine. I never saw two men or two horses go so fast. Masked man. I don't know what to say. There will be no firing. Maria, I want you and Vance to wait here. Tonto and I have urgent business. Where are you going? We go ponder Kimosabi. Wait for us, Vance. We'll be back as soon as we learn what Chirlan's plan is. Ah. Follow me, Tonto. We'll have to trail him in the dark. Give him up. Come on, Silver. Oh, Vance, Tonto. Why do they go so fast? They come. They do not wait. Where do they go? The mask man told me about it when they were bringing me here. As we rode from the army post and looked back, we saw Captain Chirlan heading out of the gate by himself. The mask man and the engine planned on picking up his trail in the dark. And I reckon they can do it, too. Lot of sound. Someone's coming to meet Chirlan. Uh-huh. It's good we trail him here, huh? We're waiting. Listen. As soon as they go, we'll get back to Silver and Scout. I'm eating. Mr. Chirlan? Howdy, Shane. You can drop the captain. There's just the two of us here. Did you bring word from Torlach? Yeah. It's all set. Three days from now on the army trail. Sundown? So Torlach said nothing else has been changed. Kino, I'll have the whole company out here for overnight maneuvers. We'll have almost every gun and cartridge in the army post out here. I'll make certain those guns and cartridges are stacked up where you can get to them without any trouble. Correct. You sure them soldiers ain't suspicious? Well, they don't figure they'll give me any trouble. They don't like me, but they don't question I'm captain. They'll obey orders. Black Arrow can use those weapons. Black Arrow will get them. Just at Sundown, most of the men will be busy down by the river. I'll see to that. That's when we rush for the gun. Right. And make sure you grab me, Shane. The soldiers see their captain taken. They won't be so likely to raise a fuss. Torlach sure plans things cagey. That dispatch carrier isn't dead, Shane. He wrote in the post this morning. I guess we just wounded him. Did he know who you were? He didn't quite recollect it, don't think. He put him in the guard house. Have him shot. Well, that was my intention, Shane, but he escaped about an hour ago. Who done it? I don't know. He got some help from outside. Whoever they were, they left him too big a hurry to spot him. That don't sound so good. It might change everything. No, it won't. But don't you tell Torlach, he'll skin us alive. Besides, it don't affect our scheme any. It was a little Saint Orita came to the post with him. She got mighty upset. Most likely, she gathered together a few of her family and fixed a break him out herself. You don't reckon there's any chance of trouble? Listen, Shane, that soldier says scared he won't go near an army uniform. Forget it, I tell you. You just keep in mind what's going to happen three days from now. I shall be, Charlie. We'll be waiting. So will I. Adios. Adios. Get up. Get up. Did you hear that? Uh-huh, me here. Let's get to the horse's tunnel. I have a plan. Silver! What in thunder? A signal from that rider. Column out! Rifle's ready! I'm on the hunt! Ride's like the wind. I'm looking for Captain Lacey. I'm Captain Lacey. State your business. What? Mr. Your Mask. Forget that, Captain. There's trouble at buzzard gap. There will be trouble when I get there. I learned at Laramie that a man named Trun is no Captain at all. His credentials are forged. You know about it? A sundown tomorrow. A trap will be sprung to get the arms and ammunition of your company. Sundown tomorrow. Only a fast horse could make it in time. I have the fastest horse in the army. We'll have to go it alone. All the other horses won't stand a chance. Pretend at brace. Bring the column behind us at all possible speed. Upflighting! Upflighting! Come on! Sit away! It's getting mighty near sundown. Soldiers camp right ahead. Next to Brook. The Masked Man sure had Trun pegged. Look, the way he's got all the rifles and the small arms stacked near the woods. And all the men are near the water. At least a hundred yards from him. Only two men guard rifles. Those outlaws must be in the woods. We write down, talk to soldiers. It won't do any good. They won't pay he does. Trun's Captain, as far as their concern. Masked Man say we do what we can. We try. We should get here. Too late to wait. Soon it'll be sunset. You come. All right, Injun. Head for Corporal Billings. Maybe he'll listen. Get him up to the column. Get up! Get up there! Get up! Hey, Billings! Corporal! And that coyote wearing the uniform is looking too. Trun on, I mean. Him and other and the clearance. We reach men first. Corporal Billings! Well, I'll be. It's Vance. Well, you dumb Maverick. You got away once. And we don't want to see you get shot. Hightail it before Captain Trun on sports you. Him not, Captain. Him outlaw. Wear army uniforms. What's that, Injun? You're a local. It's Trade Billings. That ombre's part of a gang. There's bad men in the woods ready to grab off the rifles. I don't savvy. You believe what we say. Why him send you this way? Put rifles that way, huh? No, you're both local. Vance, we always figured you were an all-right gent. But this takes the cake. You expect us to go on the word of a deserter and a Redskins? And you listen... Less than nothing, Redskins. Maybe we don't think so much of this new captain we got. Corporal. Yes, sir. Captain Sherlock, these two say... I heard them. Put them under arrest. Oh, they haven't got any firearms. They're all stacked up. I have my gun and it's pointed straight at him. Here, take it. Put them under arrest and then tie them. Yes, sir. It's a soldier's duty to obey orders. See that mine are obeyed. Stay here till you get different orders. Yes, sir. Well, you heard the captain. Climb off those horses. Vance, both of you. Billings, I tell you this. And I tell you, I'm a soldier. A regular army soldier. Till I learn different from somebody who matters, he's my captain. Get off. Uh, we do what you say. We get off horse, Vance. We... We try. Too bad, son, going down now. Too bad, what happened soon? No way for us to stop. No way to... Engine, it's an ass man. It's Lazy Withers. Captain Lazy. Captain Lazy, sir. There's no time to lose. Soldiers, run for those stacked arms. Sherlock's no army man. He's an outlaw. Follow us. Get off. You heard the man. He's right. On the double. After him. I see the outlaws. They're jumping out of the woods. Reach those rifles first. Sherlock and his outlaws were no match for the speed of silver and scout. The lone ranger and tanto reached the rifles first and held off the outlaws until the soldiers ran up and got their rifles. Then, faced by sixty armed men, the outlaws had no choice but to surrender. Move forward with your hands in the air. Sherlock, you and your outlaws are our prisoners. We ain't frightened, Captain. You got us. You got us cold. Masked men, on behalf of the United States Army, I want to thank you. You've saved the buzzard gap garrison and prevented outlaws from seizing government property. We'll never forget what you've done. Several hours later, with Sherlock and his men in the guard house and Captain Lazy once again in charge, the lone ranger and tanto left the stockade. By midnight, the fort was left far behind. They were galloping along the bank of a wide river when suddenly, as they roamed at the heavily wooded bend, Keep coming. That big fire. As I see it, that puddle is a cabin, a burning cabin. Ah, that right. A big fire from the window. What that? It came from the cabin. Somebody's inside there in the flames. After we've got to get him out. Get him out of the house. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the lone ranger incorporated.